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Practising law in Portugal as a foreign lawyer

A route exists, with conditionsAsk the regulator about home-law practice

Lawyers from outside the EU generally have to have their law degree recognised, and then enrol as a trainee with the Portuguese Bar (Ordem dos Advogados), complete initial training and pass an exam in Portuguese. EU lawyers can practise under their home title.

Updated October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.

Rules change. This page describes the kinds of route that exist. The regulator listed under “Official sources” publishes the current requirements, fees and dates, so always confirm with them. This is general information, not legal advice.

The routes

Lawyers from outside the EU

For: Foreign-qualified lawyers who want to be registered as Portuguese advogados.

  1. Have your law degree recognised by the Directorate-General for Higher Education (DGES). Recognition can be automatic, by level, or specific (case by case), and may involve extra tests.
  2. Apply to the regional council of the Bar to enrol as a trainee (advogado estagiário), with a sponsoring lawyer who has more than five years of effective practice.
  3. Complete the initial training in the Portuguese legal system and the internship, and pass the examination, which is in Portuguese.

Brazil had a special arrangement that let Brazilian lawyers register without an internship. The Bar ended it in 2023, and its end has been challenged in court, so check the current position.

Lawyers from the EU

For: Lawyers who hold a title in an EU member state.

  1. Under the Bar's Statute, EU lawyers can practise in Portugal under their home title with the same rights and duties as Portuguese-registered lawyers.

Practising only your home-country law

The Bar has a registration for foreign lawyers. We did not confirm its current scope, so ask the Bar before planning around it.

Understand the legal system first

Portugal belongs to the Civil law family. Knowing how its system works makes the admission route easier to follow.

Read the Portugal legal-system profile in the Legal Families Atlas →
Compare Portugal with another country →

Official sources

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TheLawToKnow Tools’s Bar Admission guide is an educational overview of general rules. It is not legal advice, and it does not replace the regulator’s own information. Report a mistake.